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Samuel L. Jackson

Australian filmmaker Patrick Hughes knows how to film a large scale action sequence, but he also loves to have a good laugh while doing it. The director of the underrated suspense thriller Red Hill and the most recent entry into The Expendables franchise finds himself once again tackling chaotic shootouts and multi-vehicle chases with his latest effort The Hitman’s Bodyguard (in cinemas everywhere this weekend), a mismatched buddy flick starring two of the biggest names in comedy and action: Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson.

A passably entertaining bit of late summer fluff, the action comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard is exactly what you probably think it’s going to be going in: two charismatic actors riffing on each other while dodging bullets, fists, and bombs. A comedy firmly steeped in the traditions set forth by Midnight Run and Lethal Weapon, The Hitman’s Bodyguard doesn’t earn too many points for originality or style, but it achieves every modest goal it sets out to make. If you’re in the mood for an action comedy, this is an action comedy that won’t wow you, but it won’t let you down, either.

The elements of a great film – and perhaps the next great cinematic franchise to be spawned from a young adult novel – are initially on display in director Tim Burton and screenwriter Jane Goldman’s adaptation of Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children before the picture more or less collapses on itself.

The idea of a RoboCop reboot made me nervous from the very beginning. How was a relatively un-tried director like José Padilha going to rebuild an icon from my childhood? Given the steady stream of film remakes over the last few years–both good and bad–how would this one stand up?

In the hands of your average director, The Avengers could have been ridiculous. There are long stretches of conversation where superheroes just talk to each other in small spaces, loads of complicated special effects, and the film is a whopping 2 hours and 22 minutes. On top of that, The Avengers is charged with bringing together three heroes from their respective blockbusters, and giving them some sort of likable chemistry together with new characters we don’t know all that much about.

Marvel Studios released behind-the-scenes images today from production of their big-screen adaptation of The Avengers, featuring glimpses of director Joss Whedon and the rest of the cast as they completed work on the would-be blockbuster.

New releases this week on Blu-ray and DVD: The Lion King debuts on Blu-ray for the first time; Neve Campbell stars in the horror sequel Scream 4; Vin Diesel and Paul Walker push the pedal to the metal one more time in Fast Five; plus a look at Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition and African Cats.

The rainy days of spring are here, and since it’s a very quiet week for new releases, I thought it was a fine opportunity to count down ten of my favorite rainy day movies. Which may make you wonder–what makes a great rainy day movie? If you ask me, it all comes down to rewatchability, brilliant casting, great writing, and off-the-wall stories.